“Without a fixed date the status of the activity, that is whether it was permitted or needed a consent, could remain unresolved after it concluded. This would have made it difficult for councils to enforce,” they said.
Introduced as part of the Government’s essential freshwater rules, most of NZ-grazed winter crop paddocks must be resown by October 1.
For the next four years, Otago and Southland farmers will have a resowing deadline of November 1 to account for longer winters. From 2024, that date will come back a month to October 1.
The temporary, month-long extension for Southland and Otago was a result of feedback on the National Environment Standard draft regulations and the MfE says there are no plans to review it.
MfE officials say the dates were chosen to balance the potential environmental impact of months of bare ground with uncertainty about growth cycles.
However, farmers argue that crop agronomy works on soil temperature not an arbitrary date.
Officials say farmers need to plan for potential sowing delays.
“If farmers are not confident they can meet all the requirements for intensive winter grazing to be a permitted activity, then they should apply for a resource consent,” they said.
In most cases, these do not need to be applied for until after October 31 next year.
They say farmers could also undertake ground preparation work in accordance with specific winter grazing standards set in certified freshwater farm plan.
The Government is currently working on these plans with councils, sector groups, iwi, farm advisors, scientists and environmental non-government organisations.
The statement confirmed a review is under way of the much-maligned slope maps, which farmers say in many cases do not match the actual topography.
Officials say this is the only aspect of the freshwater policy being reviewed.
“We are receiving information from farming organisations and farmers,” they said.
“We are asking any farmer to get in contact if they have large areas of steep land or high-altitude land that have been included in the maps.
“We are currently assessing the information that is coming in before providing advice to ministers about possible adjustments.
“This is likely to take several months.”
MfE is hosting a series of seven weekly webinars from October 21 for people working in organisations involved in implementing the regulations.
